Glenn Connelly / Photo Editor

Kyle Skipworth was plucking the splinters out of his hands Saturday night.

A few hours earlier, the West’s catcher was on deck in the bottom of the ninth inning, eyeing a 5-4 deficit with two outs. He was wringing his wooden bat feverishly, salivating over one more opportunity to win the fifth annual Aflac All-American High School Baseball Classic at Tony Gwynn Stadium. The contest features 38 of the best high school seniors across the country and Skipworth wanted to prove his worth one more time.

Not that he hadn’t already done his part.

Skipworth, a catcher out of Patriot High School in Riverside, had three runs batted in, including a two-run homerun, a sacrifice fly and a hit-by-pitch for good measure. His name was likely being engraved on the MVP award trophy.

But Skipworth never got a last chance, as he was stranded in the on-deck circle.

The West surrendered three runs in the ninth inning to fall behind and eventually lose 5-4 after leading the East all day.

The winning run came courtesy of shortstop Tim Beckham’s sacrifice fly. Beckham, of Griffin High School in Griffin, Ga., ended with three RBI just like Skipworth. Unlike Skipworth, however, Beckham ended with the MVP. Unlike Beckham, Skipworth ended with thoughts of “What if?”

“I know I ended up doing well,” Skipworth said, “but it’s tough to lose. I gave my team what I could, but all I wanted was that chance for one more at-bat. I figured I could have won the game for us.”

He’ll never know if he was right.

With a man on second base and two outs, catcher Jordan Swagerty, out of Prestonwood Christian Academy in Sachse, Texas, struck out swinging to end the game.

“This is a dream come true for me and our team,” Beckham said. “I’ve wanted to be in the Aflac game since I was in eighth grade and I’m finally here and I think I really shined.”

Beckham, along with Skipworth, shined perhaps the brightest among the stars in the game. The West and East rosters were composed of the best amateur prospects in the country, and the countless scouts and radar guns in the stadium proved that.

Skipworth and his teammates walked away with a loss, but their efforts weren’t unnoticed.

“(Skipworth) definitely proved he could hit with the adjustments he made on the fastball (when he hit his homerun)” said Keith Law, the senior baseball analyst for Scouts Inc. and contributor to ESPN.com. “He’s only been catching for a year and it shows, but if he improves this year or goes to a good school to develop as a catcher he could easily get to the first round of the (Major League Baseball Draft).”

Maybe Skipworth’s night wasn’t that bad after all. Thoughts of life as an MLB millionaire will certainly soothe the pain of all those wood chips.

O’Sullivan in San Diego

Right-handed pitcher and second baseman Ryan O’Sullivan played for the West team in what might be his home park next year. O’Sullivan, out of Valhalla High School in El Cajon, recently committed to San Diego State.

The rising senior pitched a perfect second inning but came up short at the plate, with two strikeouts.

“I wanted to entertain the fans and do well for myself,” O’Sullivan said. “It’s definitely nice playing at home and knowing that I might be playing here next year for (Tony Gwynn).

“I feel like on the mound I did well, but at bat, I had something to prove and I didn’t (do it).”

O’Sullivan’s performance in the upcoming season will determine whether or not he becomes an Aztec. If he struggles, he’ll likely join SDSU, but if he has a solid senior year he could go to the MLB Draft.

“He’s a very promising player,” Law added. “He showed a good feel for pitching and could definitely be a pro prospect. But that’s what’s tough for schools in keeping guys like him. Usually the really good players go straight to the draft.”

Isaac Galloway, an outfielder out of Los Osos High School in Rancho Cucamonga, finished the contest 2-for-3 playing as a designated-hitter because of a sprained ankle. Galloway, too, committed to the Aztecs, but would likely go straight to the MLB Draft if he plays well in his senior season of high school.